The meeting between journalists and His Excellency Dr Peter Mbah on Friday July 7, 2023, must be put in proper perspective.
This is in line with our training as newsmen. We were taught that facts are sacred while opinions are free.
I thus deem it fit, and always hold the opinion that in all circumstances, we as journalists must uphold the truth.
Therefore, reading a report that the governor invited newsmen to stop, or influence them against reporting the issues pertaining to his NYSC Certificate at the Tribunal is disturbing.
Before I continue, however, I wish to condemn the arrest of two of our colleagues who were recently picked up by the police.
I also wish to correct the impression that I, Petrus Obi went into hiding, or disappeared on that fateful day of arrest, Saturday July 8.
Actually, I joined my members of the Evergreen FC Enugu for our weekly get together at Obiagu. I was there with the Enugu NBA Chairman Barr. CNN Nwagbara. I left Obiagu at about 9:00 pm.
So, I didn’t run from arrest, I never disappeared and could have easily been picked up.
I must also confess that I wasn’t aware if I was a target of arrest.
Back to the meeting with the governor.
The agenda was just one – Sit-at-home. The governor urged us to adopt development journalism, in which, our reports should be in the interest of the state.
He advised against promoting reports that are not verified, especially those that would instill fear into the populace; especially now that the government is set to end the illegal order in the State.
The governor who restated the hunger to move Enugu forward and bring infrastructural, economical and technological revolution
by bringing investors and foreign partners lamented that such sense of insecurity would be counter productive.
He pleaded for wisdom in our reportage insisting that the foreign partners could only rely on media reports to form opinion on the security situation in the state.
There was no mention of tribunal, no mention of NYSC, nothing was talked about certificate, and the meeting did not last more than 30 minutes.
Any report outside the issue of sit-at-home is not the truth and must be condemned.
I rest my pen.
PETRUS OBI
Publisher EverydayNews
